I had a long journey ahead of me- so thankfully, I planned to get as much shit done in the old country as I possibly could. First was the thing with the minotaurs, obviously. Then I would have to take a boat north to Catlus and get permission to pay griffons to start digging up the guano islands off the coast for saltpeter purposes. Then I’m gonna head up to Featherworth to get permission from the king to open up factories along the rivers.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m planning to dig The Confederacy out of depression with a wartime economy. I’ll have to set up factories to manufacture saltpeter, gunpowder, gun parts, gun stocks, ammo, gas masks, canned goods for rations, not to mention goods of various types- as well as warehouses to store said goods.

This whole operation was a massive, massive fucking gamble- which is why I intended to get the king of Fertilia on my side for now. I planned to betray and depose him later- but all in due time.

Not only that, I’m absolutely planning on starting our raid in the southeast, in the hilly regions of Corvyn. Allegedly, there’s a ton of gold in those mountains- it was simply a matter of putting the dogs to work on it. Not to mention- their dens typically lie in valleys between hills- making them the most ideal locations for assault.

Actually… or would it be more worthwhile to hit the northeastern mountains of Northumbria, which are rich in coal and iron? The coal will also be necessary for production- just as it always has been. It will allow me to open factories closer to where the frontlines are without having to rely on river power. More jobs means more money in the economy, more money means more people are buying goods, more goods being bought equals more money in the economy… But I also have to consider if these factories are ready to hop back into production? Many of them are guaranteed to be in disrepair after so long.

I also have to consider- centralized banking and paper money. If instead of using the heavy old bit, I could potentially print liquidity for short term gain… actually, maybe not. Inflation… financial inflation is a slippery slope I’d like to avoid in these early days. But then again… Maybe I’ll let my wife handle all the number crunching. She’s good at that stuff.

I also have to consider my army. The large bulk of the army would be made up of infantrymen… and infantrywomen. ACTUALLY- gender neutral infantry. Yeah. I keep getting distracted, where was I….

The infantry will make up the bulk of the force. They’ll be the back line troops- Armed with long rifles and firing volleys from “whites of their eyes'' distance. They’ll be armed simply- each with a cutlass and a bayonet for their rifle. Oh, I’d also have to pay someone to design their uniforms. I’m thinking of sticking with that black fabric gold hemwork design I love so much? Hell yeah.

I’ll also have to find some skilled fighters to make up the bulk of my shock troops. I’m still thinking on what to call them- I’m thinking of The Dreadnoughts, or the Black Crows, perhaps. I’ll have to spitball ideas with Ulysses at some point.

Their kit will be less standard- I’ll let them have a small selection of what they want to bring, depending on their fighting styles. They would… they would…

Fuck it, I can't do this anymore. I have a massive headache right now, and the four aspirin I took earlier haven't done a thing. When I get to Bittsburgh, I'm gonna rent a motel for the night then take a train to Baltimare where I would then take a boat to Minos. It wasn’t the original plan- but I really needed to get some sleep. Originally, I was just gonna switch trains immediately.

God, my head's pounding and I can't remember how long the train ride and boat ride will be, but it'll be fucking long. Most likely, it’s just from attempting to write while on a bumpy train or not getting enough sleep last night.

---

Thankfully, I woke up feeling considerably better- but just to be safe, I threw back a couple tabs of aspirin. I’d hate to get another headache out of friggin nowhere like that. But anyways, back to the here and now.

Bittsburgh is a fuckin vibe all on its own. The place is an industrial powerhouse, and there’s always a dense smog lingering in the sky due to the sheer amount of factories. It almost gave off a sort of steampunk vibe. Sadly, though- my time here would be short. I had a train to catch, after all. I’ll definitely be keeping this place on the forefront of my mind though.

After all- I might need a doctor who specializes in bionic prosthetics to join my crew at some point.

Wait. What?

It was nice being rich. I could afford to rent a private train car and everything. The trip was estimated to take a good five hours or so- so I just decided to catch up on some reading.

Or at least, that was a plan. As it turned out- I shared a destination with a good friend of mine.

“Excuse me, ma’am-” I looked up from my book and smiled when I saw it was Emmie, of all people! “This seat taken?”

I wasted no time scooting over. “So how the hell’ve ya been?” I asked him, shutting my book and setting it nearby on the bench. He giggled and smiled,

“Ah, you know. The same old stuff, really. I’ve been reading up on the Neighcronomicon- but I’ve had little success in figuring out anything about this King in Yellow.” I cocked an eyebrow at him and asked,

“You really think you should be reading that thing?” Briefly, I remembered back to the apparent rumors surrounding my mothers parents- and couldn’t help but wonder. He just shrugged it off.

“Eh, with all the hoops I had to jump through to get permission, I’d be remiss to not read it at this point. Oh, actually- I did find something out.” He said, rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a piece of paper with-

“The Yellow Sign.” I said, beholding the black and white sketch he pulled out. “Don’t ask why I know the name, because I’m trying to figure that out myself.” Of course- I knew the answer to that. I distinctly recognized it from a particular book I read on earth. Emmie scratched his chin.

“I wonder if it’s from a residual memory or something?” I just shrugged.

“Truth be told, I haven’t really had the time to experiment with it recently. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time I even thought about going on a proper hunt. The money’s just elsewhere in Manehattan.”

“True that. Still- if you do find anything interesting it can do, keep me posted.” He said, and I gave him a smug grin.

“Well, it boosted my head game by a factor of a hundred.” He just rolled his eye at me.

“I swear- are you ever not horny?” Then I told him,

“Only after a good fuckin’!” He snorted, saying-

“How long? For five minutes?”

“Bullshit, it’s at least seven minutes!” We both shared a laugh for that one. “So anyways- What’re you headin’ to Baltimare for?”

“My optometrist lives there. Gotta pop in for a visit every now and then, on account of…” He pointed to his patched over eye, and I nodded in understanding. “What about you?” He asked.

I regaled to him my plans of getting shit ready all across the old country, and in hushed tones I explained that I would also begin financing the war effort from behind the scenes. Thankfully, there weren't that many ponies nearby, and the sounds of the moving train were loud enough that we could talk in private.

“What d’ya think?” I asked him with a smug grin.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea! But also…” He glanced off to the side and said, “Are you really, really sure you wanna get involved in an all-out war like that?” He asked me in hushed tones, and I was a little taken aback.

“Come on, Emmie. You know damn well I ain’t afraid to kill.” And I truly wasn’t, either.

“I know, but… there are stories about soldiers going to war and coming back different. And especially with that… thing, you made… Things are likely to get terrible.” Then he turned and looked me in the eye, saying- “It won’t just target combatants. Men, women, children… they live in those dens too.” I just snorted in response. While I admit, I never thought about it in any sort of deep manner-

“Eh, fuck ‘em. Kids are just future combatants anyway.” Little did I know how much I would come to regret this statement. Emmie just shrugged.

“If you’re sure.”

I decided to change the topic after that. We spent the next while just idly catching up, and I briefly mentioned my thoughts on funding expeditions down below the equator. Of course, he agreed with that- He believes that below Equestria could potentially be even more signs of ancient griffon civilizations like the one we found.

Of course- I wasn’t interested in visiting them personally. Last thing I need is like, fuckin’ zombie horsehair worms digging through my brain or something. Or maybe I do- it might give me cool powers like in one of those Neighponese comics I’ve been trying to get my wife into.

You know- like the Mane-iac from Power Ponies, but with brainworms instead of having really fucked up hair.

Thankfully, Emmie made the four hour train ride go by pretty fast.

“Well, guess this is goodbye?” I said, wrapping him in a hug.

“For now, at least. It was great seeing you again!” I gave him a smile and nodded.

“Likewise, bud.” I said as we parted ways. After all, I had some Biz to attend to. I retrieved my suitcases and held one under each wing. It was a little awkward since the one was as long as my body- but it was a sacrifice I had to make. After all, the case held the prototype of the infantry rifle I’d been designing.

First things first, though, I had a meeting with a business partner of mine. I made my way down the streets, passing all the mid-sized red brick storefronts, and heading straight for the docks.

The docks themselves were bustling with life- ships of all sizes getting loaded and unloading their cargo, sweaty laborers either with the union or working for peanuts. The cool ocean breeze felt heavenly on my face- despite it being mid-spring, the sun was quite hot today.

Inside of the main warehouse, my destination was in an office situated on the viewing balcony- you know, the place where the clipboard jockey stands and silently judges everyone… Or it’s an enforcer, ready to cave someone’s skull in at the smallest hint of a scuffle or a riot.

I knocked on the office door twice- and promptly let myself in, greeting the fat old griffon with a faint smile. “Long time no see, Derek.” He looked at me and snorted.

“I thought you was supposed to be here last night?” He was a Fertilia native, much like myself- so we shared a bit of a kindred spirit in that manner.

“Eh, shit happens. I won’t bore you with the details.” I sat down on the chair across from him- “So, you find what I asked for?” He pulled out a manilla folder and slid it over.

“I already scouted this guy out good. He won’t give ya any problems. He’s a griffon- so he’s desperate for whatever business he can get, even if it is shady.” As you can imagine, cross-ocean shipping became a bit less lucrative due to the whole economic situation. “He ain’t chargin’ a king's ransom, but it’ll still be a pretty bit.” I looked the dossier over and nodded in satisfaction.

If you haven’t figured it out yet- I still needed someone to transport all my hard-earned money across the ocean to the minotaurs. I couldn’t ship it from Manehattan docks- the Crown would be watching that, Twilight confirmed as much… but I’m not an idiot. I figured she’d be on my ass about it, so I thought ahead.

This way worked out, as I already had this branch of the longshorepony’s union on my payroll. I’ll be honest- I didn’t like putting all this faith on all these subordinates… but I didn’t have a choice, either. My plate’s full as it is- and I don’t have time to micromanage every single aspect. The eggs are piling up- but if I can keep them together long enough, I’ll be making the mother of all omelets here. The Grimfeather crime family was getting quite extensive here.

“And what about my ship?” I asked, and he pulled a ticket out of a drawer.

“You’re in luck. It leaves in…” He checked his pocket watch. “About an hour. First class accommodations, of course. Your shipment of loot should be departing about the same time, too.” I looked at him and nodded.

“All in unmarked or falsely marked crates, right?” I asked, and he nodded.

“As far as the port authority’s concerned, some pony called Green Clover is shipping potatoes across the sea as part of a relief effort. Nevermind the fact that it’s heading to Minos.” I held out my hand and we shook.

“Keep up the good work, Derek.” He nodded and said to me,

“If you think you can save the old country, you have my full support.” Thankfully, between payroll and a sense of patriotism, just about all my subordinates were plenty motivated to stay on my side. It still stressed me out, though.

The ship I would be taking was fuckin massive! It was a big steel thing, powered by massive steam engines and was called the RMS Goliath. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about any icebergs- I could simply fly away, after all. And just because I’m paranoid, I also packed myself a map and compass- just in case.

Chekhov’s gun is loaded for bear at the moment.

Derek was right about the first class accommodations, though. It looked like a really fancy hotel room- and even had a bathroom with hot water! The whole journey would be about five days- so I intended to just chill.

---

Four days into the long journey, I was feeling quite bored- so I decided to continue where I left off on the train. This room had a writing desk and everything- shit was so cash.

Where was I… Ah, yes. Shocktroopers kit.

As I was saying, each one would carry their weapon of choice, within reason. Clubs, swords, axes- whatever their fighting style may be. I’ll also arm each of us with a blunderbuss, as well as plenty of spare shot and powder.

As for loading the blunderbuss- the pre rolled paper cartridges I was using for my pistols and rifle wouldn’t suffice. I’m thinking of having the powder stored in a paper baggie which you would tear open with your claws and pour down the barrel. The paper would then be jammed down as a wad. The shot would be set up in the same way- with a baggie being full of bullets, and the paper rammed over top like a top wad, preventing the load from rolling out.

Anyways… Each of us would be armed with a small tank or two of chlorine gas- not enough for an open battlefield, but a couple small canisters of the stuff going off in say, a cave, would fill up pretty fast.

I also have to consider uniform design. It would have to cover the whole body, obviously. When I was initially testing the stuff, the small concentrations I was using in the lab weren’t enough to penetrate the layer of feathers and fur- but in a cave, it absolutely would. I’m thinking of using light plate armor over a heavy, full-body suit. Even the tail would have to be covered. The wings, however, would be a problem. How do I protect them without severely limiting mobility? Although, now that I think about it… I don’t think we’ll be doing much flying in those mines. Still, they’re quite important for balance purposes.

I wonder if I could protect them with a removable cover? Almost like a condom for your wings… Or a glove, I guess. Oh, shit, speaking of which, I gotta make sure it’s practical to use these guns with gloves. Widening the trigger guard should do the trick. I also have to consider-

CCCCREEEEEEEEEAK!

I looked up from what I was writing, immediately recognizing the sound of scraping along with buckling metal. I sighed in annoyance and began calmly packing my suitcase. I put my compass and map in one of my coat pockets and grabbed my hat and a decent sized canteen of water, making my way past the panicked crowds to the top deck. Ponies were scrambling all over trying to get to the lifeboats and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Fuckin’ herd mentality, man.

Calmly, I started my eastbound flight to Minos. Thankfully, it was only about a day or so away.

---

A long journey and several rest stops atop clouds later, I was fuckin beat. I felt disgusting- I was drenched in sweat, my feathers were full of salt, and I probably smelled like rotten fish. It was late at night, so I wasted no time in finding a local inn to pass out at.

The city was named Tauroy and looked Greek as fuck. White marble columns, red tile roofs, and since it was late at night, the only minotaurs out and about I could ask for directions from were guards. They looked like Greek hoplites- dressed in brass armor and toga’s, wielding a massive shield and carrying pikes.

“Hey, pal.” I asked one of them, and he gave me a funny look. “Any way you could point me towards a hotel?” I asked him.

“... You’re out awfully late. May I ask why?” I just groaned in annoyance.

“Look bud, the ship I was taking here hit an iceberg and sank and I was in a hurry. I decided to just fly the rest of the trip because I got shit to do tomorrow.” The guard cocked an eyebrow at me and I groaned in annoyance. Wordlessly, I grabbed a handful of coins out of my bag and forked ‘em over.

“Keep heading down the main road here. You’ll come across the inn- you’ll see the sign out front. You can’t miss it.” I nodded in thanks.

Ding!

“Sorry, Miss, but the bar’s closing.” The barmaid said, barely sparing me a glance as she cleaned a table with a rag.

“I just need a room for the night and I don’t drink. I have money, if that’s your concern.” She stopped what she was doing and turned around.

“In that case-” She regarded me with a smile. “20 bits a night.” That was fucking exorbitant and I don’t think she expected me to pay it.

“Deal.” I said with no hesitation, grabbing a small purse out of my bag and tossing it to her. She gave me a look of surprise as she picked up the bag, examining its contents to make sure I wasn’t ripping her off. “Can I have my room yet?” I asked, and she wordlessly tossed me a key.

“Upstairs. Room number’s on your key.” She said, and I made my trek upstairs. I locked the door behind me and used a wooden chair to make sure it couldn’t be opened- just in case. On that note, I threw my bags and suitcases in the corner and passed the fuck out.

We're making the mother of all omelets here, Jack! Can't fret over every egg! We've got a pretty big burner going on here- I hope Leona's happy with the results...

You may be wondering why the minotaurs aren't Scottish... well, why would they be? :P

As always- thank you for reading! Likes and comments are always greatly appreciated :3